Container segregating apparatus



Oct. 10, 1961 A. L. HENDERSON connmm SEGREGATING APPARATUS 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed March 22, 1956 INVENTOR ALBERT L. HENDERSON BY u United States Patent O 3,003,629 CONTAINER SEG GATING APPARATS Albert Luther Henderson, San Diego, Calif., assignor to FMC Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 22, 1956, Ser. No. 573,294 8 Claims. (Cl. 209-74) The present invention appertains to a segregafing apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for segregat ing containers in accordance with indicia carried thereon.

An object of the present invention is to provide an accurate and durable segregating apparatus of simplified construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a segregat ing apparatus operable in a reliable manner to segregate container cans moving at high speeds.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can segregating apparatus which is capable of being automatically operated by the movement of the containers themselves.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified apparatus for detecting predetermiried indicia on the bodies of containers, such as cans, and segregating such bodies in accordance with such indicia.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective et the segregating apparatus of the present invention showing the container defiecting member in one position.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentaty perspective of the segregafing apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the defiecfing member in a difierent position.

FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram for the segregat ing apparatus.

In canned food processing plants, difierent food products and difierent grades et: the same food product are packed in similar size cans. Although each product is filled and sealed at separate sections, the various food products in similar size cans become inteflningled over a common conveying line during the sterilizing and freezing processes. Prier to labelling, it is necessary to segre gate or sort out the 'difierent products into separate groups or lines so that each group or lime represents a certain ice bodies 14, 15 and 16, to the segregating apparatus in a single file for sorting, and then carries the can bodies 14, and 16 to another station or a discharge chute, not

- shown. The can bodies 14, 15 and 16 are placed on the grade or certain product to facilitate the labelling process.

.In order to distingush dans et similar sizes havingdfferent products or grades,each can body is marked at a filling and sealing station with predetermined indicia. Ofle method of marking the can body is to stencil or imprint on the can body a circle or ring stripe, produced by black ink or similar substance, which completely encircles the can body. Can bodies containing difierent products are marked with ring stripes at difierent axial heights along the cylindrical can body. Each product or grade will be identifiable by the definite location of the ring relative to the ends ofthe'can. It is to -be understood that the absence of a" ring 'strlipe may also be used for coding and, accordingly, the blank surface of the can will-be conside'red as one forni of indicium.

- Refe'rring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a can segregating apparatu's 10 is herein provided for detecting predetermined indicia on can bodies and sorting the cans into sparate lines br groups in 'accordance With the indicia detected. 'Ihesegregating apparatus 10 is positioned at any conconveyor belt1l in an upright position so that the cylindrical axes thereof are perpendicular to the surface area of the conveyor belt 11 as the cans travel in the direction shown by the direction arrows D. As the cans approach the segregating apparatus 10 they are channeled into a single file formation by a guide bar 9. Certain can bodies 14 and 16 carry predetermined indicia thereon, such as ring stripes 17 and 18. The presence of the circum ferential stripes 17 and 18 at a predetermined height or location along the surface of the cylindncal can bodies 14 and 16 or the absence of a ring stripe, such as shown by can body 15, is the means by which the difierent products or grades of products to be segregated are coded.

For guiding the can bodies 14, 15 and 16 in their travel on the conveyor belt Il, suitable guide rails 19, 20 and 25 are provided. The guide rail 19 is supported by suitable support arms 21 and 22, which are mounted on the support 13 and on a mounting bracket 23, respectively. The guide rails 20 and 25 are supported by a suitable arched -arm 24, which is supported by a mounting bracket, not shown, similar to mounting bracket 23. The guide rails 19 and 20 define therebetween a path of travel for the can bodies, which path for the purpose of convenience, will be referred to as lane A. Another path of travel for can bodies is provided, which other path is defined by the guide rails 20 and 25. For the purpose of convenience, such other path is referred to as lane B.

In order to detect indicia on the can bodies, such as ring stripes 17 and 18, or the lack of stripes, such as shown -by can body 15, an indicia detecting device 26 is provided. The indicia detecting device 26 is supported by a suitable mounting plate 27 and comprises photocells 28 and 29, such as conventional cadmium sulphate cells. The coplanar photocells 28 and 29 are simultaneously responsive to variations in light intensity or color and are positioned with respect to one another so that a vertical plane through the photocells is parallel With the axes of the cylindrical can bodies 14, 15 and 16. Accordingly, the photocells 28 and 29 are positioned to respond simultaneously and individually to variations in intensity or color of light reflected from each can body paSSing in a single file, such as can bodies 14, 15 and 16. Photocell 28 is aligned with the, stripes on can bodies to be directed into lane B. Therefore, the height of the photocell 28 above the conveyor belt 11 is equal to the aXial height of annular stripes on the upright can bodies to be directed into lane B. Photocell 29 is aligned With vnient location along a conventional horizontal convey The conveor belt 11 advances can bodies, such as can and arranged to detect a portion of the can body where no stripe appears. From the discussion to follow it will be noted that many combinations can be provided for the photocells 28 and 29. For example, photocell 29 can be aligned With stripes and photocell 28 can be aligned with the portion of the can body having no stripe thereon. Further, both photocells 28 and 29 can be aligned With stripes of diflerent heights, which will have a similar efiect as a can body having no stripe thereon. Further, can bodies having stripes not aligned With either photocell 28 or photocell 29 will have a similar efiect as can bodies having either no stripes thereon or having stripes aligned with both photocells 28 and 29.

T 0 enable the photocells 28 and 29 to detect variations in the intensity or color of light caused by the indicia, illumination on the can bodies 14, 15 and 16 is provided by conventional light emitters, such as incandescent lamps 30 and 31. The lamps 30 and 31 are connected to any suitable source of electrical energy in a wellknown manner and are seated in sockets 32 which are mounted on the plate 27.

For defiecting can bodies having predetermined stripes thereon into lame B and perinitting can bodies to continue in lame A whn such stripes do not appear, a deflecting assembly 34 is prQvided. In order to guide the can bodies, such as can 14, into lane B, a resilient de flecting member 35 having a guide or an -arcuate camming sur: face 40 is included in the deflecting assembl y 34. The dee ti g m m r r ,rv d l .ai spfi g 35 is sut mrted at one end on a mounting bralget 3,6, whih is secur ed to. the mmting plate 27. At the other end of the defiect ing mert xb er 3.5, is a laterally extending projection or slid, able tQngue 37 which is integrally formed threwith. 'lh slidabl proje ion 37 .s s u tabbz pp, t mzed a ove a c re 8 of a conv n n l s leu 1 e by au. c m gn i 109 s pr r d ld th deflefing memb 5 Wh: th solen 39 5, ni z d Unde idl or o c ndi o shown. IG-v n the defiecting member 35 is inwardly cur ved tovvard the con; v y belt 11 d m v b e about e b ke 56 n a pl ne parafl l fo the fia a a o the cp nvyqr e he tngqe 2 .kew m9ves n plane ub ta y a allel to th surface a i h c v o' z bah 11 nd j ida l l ove th core 8 of th 9i Wmenndetmfl ind c a a d,etected a au b d such as ean body 14, by the photoells 28 and 29, the kn9id is, ener z n a ma m r hQW IG to be dgscribed hereinafter. I he energizafion o f the, solenod 39 provides an eltronyagnetic look, for atin nd h l in e pro c o to the coma 83 mis; he im a 14 rahes he efie t m .m er 5- C ns z nflx: he e t n mambe 35 s o ,ksd in position and guides the can body 14, a dv aned by the comzer r l 1 into. n by mfi .i he te camming surface 40, asshown in FIG. 1.

When no stripe appears on a eau, body, such as can bo dy 15, the solenoid 39 remains deenergizdin a man; ner shown in FIG. 3- and to be described hereinafier. As the can body 15 is advanced by the. conveyor; belt 1 1, it n ag aths: si e t m e 35, usin h mb r 35 to, be moved outwardly front th conveyor belt 1 1 about the bracket36 in a plane parallel to,th conizeyor; belt1l, to,permit the canbody 15 to continue in. lane,A, as shown in FIG. 2. Asthe re ilie nt member 35 is movedlby the can body 15, the projection 31 slidesb Ver the deneizgzed solenoid core 38. After the can body 15 disengages the resilient member 35, the res ilient, member 35 retins, to its idle position shown inFIG. l. V

Referfing now to.FI G. 3, au electricahircuit 41. is pro: vide. for. energizing and deenergizing. the solenoid 39- in res1onseto varians, (if. light intensity or co-lor appear in On the can bodie asdetectr;d,byphbtocllS 28 atad,29. 'Ihetcircuit 41 comprises a suit ble,gaseousdischarge tube 42, such as a convntonalthyratron.tube. Ihegseous ischa be 42 P f r a as. switchng v se; nge the solehpid39 is nergized When tube 42 conduts and is deenergized wh en tube. 42 is non-gonducting. 7

Tube 42 comprises filaments 43, cathode 44, grid electrode 4'5; screen gnd 46 and a plate e lec trod. 47; The filaments 43 are heatedover a pathincluding condnctorS 48 49 and a seriondary windihg 506f a conventional sfep-up transformer 512 The transformer 51 incudes a primary winding 52- connected toa suitablesource of electrical energy.

The gascons dischargetube 42 is biased.tocutofi over a path including cathode 4.4, cathode:resistor-53.and sac ondary winding 54 of transformer 51. Taovercbme the bias potentakandthus render the tube 42 conductive, a

balanced network- 55. interconnects the grid electrode 45 and; the cathode 44through agrid: resistoh-S6. A suitabIe resultant current.flow from the.network.5pmduces r a potentialacrossthe grid resistor 56 andmakes thepo tential Qn.grid 45morepositive, thus renderingthe tube conductiVe.

The balanced network 55 comprises several parallel paths. One parallel path includes anode 57 of photocell 28, cathode 58 of photocell 28 and condenser 59. The other parallel path includes anode 60 of photocell 29, cathode 61 of photocell 29 and inductance coi] 62. The condenser 59., in the path including photocell 28, causes h nt e to d the o tage y approximaly and the inductance coil 62, in the p21thifllflding photocell 29, causes the qurnt. t s the v ltage b.y annr y 90. According ly, the current flow in one path is approximately out of phase with respect to the current fiow in the other path. When the effective resi stances across photocells 28; and 29 are approximately eqnal, the network 55 is substanfially balanced and there is ne suitable resultant fiow of current, since the currents are approximately equal and approxim aly 180 out of phase. It is of course understood that the efiective resistance for the photocells 28 and 29, respectively, d etermines the current flow therethrough.

When photocells 28 and 29 have substantially difierent effective resistances, the network 55 becomes unbalanced and there is a. suitable resultant current fl0W.. Resistances 62 and; 64, Which are of equal value, are. provided to protect the photocells 28 and 29 and do not affect the bal anced network S 5., Resistor 65: is also provided to protact the photocefls, 28 and 29. Variable resistor 66 is provided for adjusting the sensitivity of the grid circuit. By utilizing two photocells, such as. photocells 281 and 29, the sensitivity cf; the circuit 41 to variations in intensity o color of light is improved;

The eiectiveresistances ofi photocefls 28 and 29 vary in accordance with variations in the intensity or colon of light. Accordingly, When photocellz 2 8 detects theann nlar black stripe 17 on can body. 14', the effective resistance of photocell 28 increases. Simultaneously, thephotoell 29 detects a portion of; the. can body 14 having no sfliPe; thereon. Consequently, theefiecfive resistance of photocell 28 is greater than the effective resistance ofi photoell 29; Therefore, tube42;is rendered conductive, since the network 55 is substantially unbalanced. When he R Qtoc el1s. 28; and 291 do not detect any stripes on the an bodies, the effective. resstances thereofi remain approximatl): equal to. maintain thenetwork 55. substan: tially balanced; thus,rendering the.tubes42 non-condncfive. A i i ar result is producedzwhenboth photocells 2&and 29: detect stripes or f ail to detect any stripes.

The plate electrode 47 of the gascons discharge tube 42 bas connectedthereto a. plate circuit or output circuit 6']: comprising relay 68, contacts 69: and the secondary winding 54 Of; the; transformer S1; Ihenormafly open contacts 69 dday; the. complefion of theplate circuit67 nntil the filaments 43 and 43aha'vebeen suflcienflyheat e d; For this Purpose, a time dely device, such as a; conventional amperite tube 7.0.,is connected i11:parafleh with the secondary winding 50;. When the filaments 43.: and 434- are suflicientlyheatd, tube 70 closes contacts 69=t0 complete theplae circuit 67;.

h ae ndarywinding 545 supplies, altemafing entrent to the plate 41., which isrectifiert into,half waves; Hic thyratmn-fiube42fls ready for; cenducfionwhen a positive potentiel is,applied, to the plate 47 thereofi and is;non cqndutive when, no: positive potential is appliert to. the plate 41.

Relay 68 in the plate circuit: Ofitube= 423.i3 anergizedwhen the gase0usdisclrarge tube 42 conducts, and? is. deenergzedwhen the tube 42: not= conducting. As. explanedzaboVe, tube 42 conducts:whenthe-photefls 28 and 29 unbalance substantafly the network- 55 in: tesponse to, diflerent: indicia on. the can bodies and; extinguishes when: there is ;no;posifiyeontiahon:theplate 47 he1cofi 'I:he energizafion of relay68acloses contacts:7hto encrgize; the. solenoid* 3 92; aven a path: includi n contacts 71 and a sutable source of electrical enerwgy, which;mnpbe a.secondary windingofi transformenk -Filter condenser 72 is prOvided to reduce alternating ciirren ripples, there by reducing chattering in the relay 68.

In the operation of the can segregating apparatus 10 (FIG. 1), conveyor belt Il advances can bodies 14, 15 and 16 in a single file past the indicia detecting device 26. Photocells 28 and 29 of the indicia detecting device 26 are ;ositioned to detect the presence or absence of predetermined stripes on a passing' can body. When a predetermined code is detected by the photocells 28 and 29, the network 55 beomes substantially unbalanced causing tube 42 to conduct. The conduction of tube 42 energizes relay 68, Which in turn closes contacts 71 to energize the solenoid 39. Ihe energiZati0n of solenoid 39 looks the defiecting member 35 in the position shown in FIG. 1 by drawing and holding the slidable tongue 37 to the core 38. As the can body carrying the predetermined code is further advanced by the conveyor belt 11, the can body engages the camming surface 40 of the locked defiecting member 35 to be directed into lane B. Afler the can body is defiected and the potential on the plate 47 of the tube 42 becomes negative from the alternating current supply, tube 42 extinguishes to deenergize relay 68. Ihereupon the solenoid 39 is deenergiz ed to unlock the defiecting member 35.

When a can body carrying no predetermined stripe thereon is advanced by the conveyor belt 11, the efiective resistances of the photocells 28 and 29 remain approximately equal. Accordingly, the network 55 romains substantially balanced and the tube 42 is rendered nonconductive. As the can body carrying no predetermined stripe thereon further advances in travel, the can body engages the defiecting member 35 causing the defiecting member to be moved outwardly from the conveyor belt 11. The projection or tongue 37 slides freely over the surface of the core 38, since solenoid 39 is deenergized, and the can body continues its travel in lane A.

It is to be noted that the can segregator of the present invention is adaptable for automatically sorting more than two difierent grades or products in similar size cans. This is accomplished by providing additional can segregating stations along the conveyor belt 11 similar to the one described herein. For example, a ring stripe may be provided on a can body out of alignment with the photocells. Under such a condition, the can continues to advance in lane A until it reaches the next segregating station. In the succeeding segregating station, the upper or lower photocell is aligned with the stripe on such a can body, thus directing the can body into lame B et the succeeding segregating station. This procedure can be extended to accommodate a large number of difierent products or grades in similar size cans.

It will be understood that modifications and variations et the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the invention. The invention is accordingly not to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described, but only as indicated in the appended claims. The term article as herein used is intended to include, but not to be limited to, cans and containers.

Having thus described my invention, what I daim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for segregating containers, a conveying member for advancing containers having surface markings varied to reflect light With unequal intensity and color, a photoelectric detecting device located adjacent to said conveying member for detecting a mark of predeter mined light qualifies on a surface of one of said containers, electromagnetic holding means operated in response to detection of a predetermined mark by said photoelectric detecting device, a resilient defiecting member positioned above said conveying member in the path of containers being advanced thereon, and an outwardly extending projection on said defiecting member operatively associated With said electromagnetic holding means to be held at times in a fixed position in response to the -6 operation of said electromagnetic holding means for holding said defiecting member in said path for guiding said one container in one direction and arrange-d at other times to be moved over said electromagnetic holding means enabling another of said moVng containers to outwardly deflect said resilient defiecting member from said fixed position for permtfing said other container to advance in another direction.

2. In an apparatus for segregating containers, a conveying member for advancing containers having at least two surface markings whose sensitivity to light ditfer, a photoelectric detecting device located adjacent to said conveying member for detecting a mark of predetermined light qualifies on a container, electromagnetic locking means operated in response to the detection of a predetermined mark by said photoelectric detecting device, a resilient defiecting member located adjacent to and above said conveying member for determining the direction of travel of a container, an outwardly extending projection on said resilient defiecting member at times held by said electromagnetic locking means in response to the operation of said photoelectric detecting device for holding said resilient defiecting member in a locked position and at other times movable relative to said electromagnetic looking means, and an arcuate camming surface on said resilient defiecting member arranged to direct a container in one direction when said resilient defiecting member is in the locked position and arranged to be defiected by engagement with a container to permit such defiecting container to travel in another direction,

3. An apparatus for segregating cylindrical containers having a plurality of circumferential stripes disposed at various axial positions t0 reflect light with unequal intensity and color, said apparatus comprising a conveying member for advancing cylindrical containers, a defiecting member mounted adjacent to said conveying member for movement between a plurality of positions for direcfing the travel of the containers into a plurality et lames, holding means operatively connected to said defiecting member for holding said defiecting member in one of said positions, and a plurality of coplanar photocells positioned in parallel relationship to the axes of the containers, each of said photocells being arrnged to detect a circumfer ential stripe at a difleent axial position, said photocells being operatively connected to said holding means to operate said holding means upon detecting stripes refiect. ing light of unequal intensity and color on one of the containers.

4. An article segregating device comprising a convoyer for advancing articles having surface markings varied to reflect light with unequal intensity and color thereon, a deflectable guide member normally disposed in an article diverting position extending into the path of articles being advanced 'by said conveyor, said defiectable guide member heing mounted for movement out of said article diverting position when contacted by a mowng article, holding means operatively connected to said deflectable guide member and arranged to look said defiectable guide member in article diverting position upon being operated, and a detecting device disposed adjacent to said conveyor and including coplanar photocells simultaneously responsive to unequal light intensity and color as reflected by markings on an article being advanced on said conveyor, said detecting device being operatively associatcd with said holding means to operate said holding means only upon detecting unequal light intensity and color as reflected by markings on said article.

5. An article segregating device comprising a conveyor for advancing articles having indicia thereon, 3. guide member mounted over said conveyor for movement between a plurality of path-defining positions, a detecting device mounted adjacent said conveyor and arranged to detect a predetermined indicium on an article being advanced by said conveyor, a solenoid mounted adjacent said conveyor and operatively connected to said detecting device for energizafion thereby upon detection, of said prcleternfined indica by, said detectng device, a magnctic cure disposed in said. solenoid and arranged to be magntizd upon encrgization of said solcnoid, and, a projetion rigid with said guida member and extending vr and immediately adjacent said cote, said projection boing arraflgd to be magneficalIy locked against said core upon energizafion of sid solenod to hold said guide m m r in n o s d p h d fin g po it o 6. An article segr ogafing dvcc comprising a convoyer fol advancing articles havi ng indicia thcreon, a resilicnt guide mambo: fixcd at one and a djas :entv said convoyer ami having the other and monnted for movemcnt from an unstressedf position over said convoyer to a rcsiently stressed position along one side of said conveyor to define a plurality of path-finding positions, a photoeectric detecting device mounted adjacent said convoyer and arranged to detect a predetermined indicium on an article bcing advanced by said conveyor, a solenoid mounted adjacent said convoyer and operatively connected to said detecting device for energization thereby upon detection of said predetermined indicia by said detecting device, a stationar mag nctic CO I6 fixed in said solenoid and,arranged to be magnetized upon energization of said solehoid and a projection rigidly connected to said guide membr adjacent the movable end thereof and extending over and dispbsed immediatcly adjacent said cote, said projection being arrangecl to be magnetically locked against said cor upon energizafion of said solcnoid to hold said guide member in.one, of said path defining positions.

7. In an article scgregating apparatus, a defiecting assembly comprising a resiljent defiecting, memhet mounted in a deflecting position in the path of advancing articles to. be segregated. and capable of be,nding from said path upon contact by adyaning artiQIoS, a. projecfion xtending laterally f rom said deflecting mcmber in an outwardly direction opposite the deflectng surface, and e]ectromagnetic means 'dispo5ed be low said projectien when said d'eflecting mmber is in a deflecting position, said e lectrmagnctic means bcing arranged to magnetcally Iock said projection and thereby holdj said' deflecting member in a deflecting position upon being energize dt 8. The combination, as in claim 7 in which the elcctromagnetic means comprises a solenoid With a stationary magnefic cote fixed in said solenod- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED S[ATES PATENTS.

1,563,446 Sholtz Dec; 1, 1.925 2,033,645 Parkhl Mac. l0, I936. 2,100,227 Stoate et al Nov; 23, 19375 2,331,277 Stout. Oct. 5,. 194 3 2,346,583 Iackson Apr. E1, 1944 2,369,557 Gettelman Feb. 1 3, 1945 2,592,260 Emerson et al Apr. 8, 1 952 2,609,926 Hartig et al Sept. 9, 1952 2,657,799, Jolmson et al Nov. 3', 1953 2,817,438 Birchall Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS:

468,448 Great Britain: Iuly 6, 1937 

